The A4E - Airlines for Europe - association warned today of "huge delays" for incoming passengers who face queues of up to four hours at Lisbon airport and others in Spain, France, Italy and Belgium.
In today’s statement, the association noted that thousands of flights recently have had to be been postponed at European airports because of the new processing control procedures that leave many unable to get through border control in time.
The A4E - Airlines for Europe - association warned today of "huge delays" for incoming passengers who face queues of up to four hours at Lisbon airport and others in Spain, France, Italy and Belgium.
In today’s statement, the association noted that thousands of flights recently have had to be been postponed at European airports because of the new processing control procedures that leave many unable to get through border control in time.
"Some passengers have missed their flights," reads the A4E report, lamenting that during this busy travel season, passengers are "victims of the disproportionate impact of implementing the new regulations in the European Union."
"Member States need to take action now to prevent disruptions and to put adequate staff and resources in sufficient numbers to carry out the required checks," according to the association's director-general, Thomas Reynaert who added that he had raised the problem of "disproportionate waiting times" with the European Commission and had called for a "quick fix" on behalf of European passengers and airlines.
Reynaert noted that queues, which often involve four-hour waits at Madrid, Palma de Mallorca, Lisbon, Lyon, Paris-Orly, Milan and Brussels, have "resulted in shameful images of exhausted passengers queuing for immigration booths, in rows extending for hundreds of metres."
"In some airports, flight delays have increased by 300% since last year. Member States have to take responsibility for this," concluded Reynaert who said there are more problems looming in just a matter of weeks, as the tighter EU regulations are not yet fully implemented across the Union with the six-month deadline for implementation ending on October 7th.
A4E expressed full support for European Community efforts to strengthen controls while preserving free movement within the Schengen area, but is concerned at the inability of EU countries' immigration and passport control services to ensure that enough staff are on duty to deal with the influx.
Portugal’s border control agency, SEF, has issued a deadline to Minister for Internal Administration, Constança Urbano de Sousa: if the various outstanding staffing issues are not resolved by July 31st, the SEF union will announce further strike action.
SEF wants to train 200 new inspectors to cope with the increasing pressure on current staff and with delays of up to four hours at Lisbon’s Humberto Delgado airport, the service has a good point.
